IntenseDebate features

Comment Threading

Improve the conversation within the comment section and reply directly to an individual comment. Indented replies make following various conversations manageable.

Reply-By-Email

Respond to and moderate comments with ease via email, even if you're on the go. Just because you're away from your computer doesn't mean the conversation stops.

Email Notifications

Commenters receive email alerts when a response to their comment is posted, linking them directly to the response. Add in reply-by-email, along with the option to subscribe to all comments and let the debate ensue!

Commenter Profiles

Commenter profiles let you and your readers learn more about each other. Watch the conversation go to new levels once you and your readers are able to get to know each other. Don't forget, their universal profiles can be used on any site with IntenseDebate!

Moderation/Blacklisting

Reputation Points & Comment Voting

Your readers will start to build their commenter reputations when they create an IntenseDebate account. Their reputation score is based on the quantity, and more importantly the quality, of the comments they've made across all sites with IntenseDebate. Bring the quality comments to the forefront.

Plugins API

We've opened up our code for developers to introduce their own creations into the debate. These enhancements include Seesmic video comments, PollDaddy polls, YouTube videos, smileys, and more. Interested in building your own customizations? Check out our Plugins API.

Widgets

We've built some fancy widgets based on your feedback. You can display your blog's comment stats, the most recent comments made on your blog, your most popular posts, the most recent comments you've made, and even who the top IntenseDebaters are.

Twitter

Give your commenters the option to send a simultaneous tweet when they post a comment. It's a great way to let your commenters spread the word about your site and drive new traffic and comments!

Facebook Connect

Open up the debate and let anyone with a Facebook account post comments on your site with our Facebook Connect integration!

RSS Readers & Tracking

RSS readers make life simple. That's why we've integrated IntenseDebate comments with Google Reader and Bloglines (with more RSS readers on the way) so you can read and post comments directly from your RSS reader.

Ready to get started?

More neat features

FriendFeed

As your content gets more and more fragmented across other 3rd party services, our goal is to bring your blog content back to you. With this in mind, we're really pleased to offer FriendFeed Comment Retrieval. Now when comments are made in the context of your blog on FriendFeed, IntenseDebate will republish them back on your blog! All you need to do is enter in your FriendFeed URL and select the option in your IntenseDebate profile. Find out more here.

HTML Formatting

Gravatar

Intensedebate offers full Gravatar support including something we like to call Auto-Grab Gravatar support. If you have a Gravatar we will automatically upload your Gravatar when you signup for IntenseDebate. You can choose to use your Gravatar or upload a different profile pic.

The WordPress plugin

Learn more about the features of the IntenseDebate WordPress plugin - for your WordPress.org blog.

Two-Way Comment Sync

Comments made in IntenseDebate are automatically backed-up to your WordPress comment system, while your existing WordPress comments are automatically imported into IntenseDebate. You always have all of your comments so uninstalling is a one-click process if you change your mind.

Admin Panel Integration

Moderate and reply to IntenseDebate comments from your WordPress admin panel using our custom moderation page that looks and feels exactly like the WordPress page that you are used to. The only difference is the extra IntenseDebate zest we have added by including IntenseDebate avatars, reputation points, profile links and all of our other metadata gravy that you'll love.

Search Engine Optimization

IntenseDebate outputs the standard WordPress comments enabling your comments to still be indexed by search engines that ignore JavaScript, while ensuring that visitors surfing with JavaScript disabled will be able to interact with comments made in IntenseDebate.

Trackbacks

Your trackbacks and pingbacks are all automatically synced to your IntenseDebate account so you won't have to sacrifice one bit of link love by installing IntenseDebate.

Profile Sync

Create an account and login to IntenseDebate directly from WordPress! Syncing your accounts enables auto-login so logging into WordPress automatically logs you into IntenseDebate. Profile sync also means that comments you make are synchronized to both profiles so you maintain ownership of your profile.

Post Settings

WordPress admin settings like closing and opening comments on a post, and even changing your post titles, are automatically recognized and reflected in your IntenseDebate settings.

Installing the WordPress plugin

What's this whole importing deal?

Activating your IntenseDebate plugin super-charges all of your comments, including your old ones! This means that your old comments are copied to IntenseDebate. But don't worry, all of your comments will still be located on your servers so you'll always have full control over all of your comment data.

So what does this mean?

Remember that your WordPress comment system will still be running when JavaScript is disabled in your browser. Since we only copy your comments into IntenseDebate, all of your comments will still show up in your WordPress comment section.

Your readers will still be able to comment in your WordPress comment section if they have JavaScript disabled in their browser. These comments will automatically be copied over to IntenseDebate, while comments made in IntenseDebate will be copied over to your servers and appear in your WordPress comment system. Both comment systems run in parallel!

During your import

Until your comments are being imported they will not show up in the IntenseDebate comment system. The length of your import will vary depending on the number of comments that are being copied and could take several hours. You'll receive an email when your import is complete. This gives you the perfect excuse to step outside, stretch your legs and get some fresh air.